Covered top with edge binder for furniture



July 31; 1951 .LmONESETAL g 2 562,360

COVERED IOP WITH EDGE BINDER FORFURNITURE Filed April 25, 1950 I 7 In I 1 VENTORS GHorneys, 1

Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,562,360 7 COVEREli TOP WITH EDTGE ETNDER FOR FURNITURE James It. Jones, Lakewood, and Floyd H.- Bloomstran, Jamestown, N. Y., assignors to Art Metal CfifitllifiOli Jaiiistfiwfi, N. Y.

Application April 25, 1950, Serial N0. 157,888

9 Claims. (01. 211-9107) r This invention relates to improvements in a construction of covered tops for desks, tables,

and similar articles, and more particularly to constructions of this type which are provided with a top surface covering of relatively stiif flexible sheet material which extends over and covers the edges and corners of the top.

In the construction of the metal desks or the like, it is desirable to have the edges and corners thereof rounded vertically and to provide a nonmetallic covering material which is formed to extend over the rounded edges and corners thereof.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro vide a top of this type with means of improved construction for securing the lower and downwardly extending edges of the top covering material to the core or body of the top in such a manner as to securely hold these edge portions in place and to provide an attractive appearance of such edge portions. A further object is to provide; means of improved construction by which both the side edges and corners of the covering material may be securely gripped and pressed toward the core by means of a binding strip extending around the edge portions of the top, which binding strip is engaged bymeans of a fascia band secured to the core and pressing the binding strip into its operative position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel featureswill beparticularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims. I In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a desk or table top embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, ,top plan view ofa corner portion of the top.

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary, bottom plan view of a corner portion of the top. I V

Fig; 4 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation thereof on line 44, Fig. 3. H

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section thereof on line Fig. 6 is a fragmentary corner portion of a of the portions 9 are turned inwardly and constitute flanges l0; By interrupting or omitting the vertically downwardly extending portions 9 and the inwardly extending flanges ill at the rounded corners of the top, the forming of the corners of the core is greatly facilitated, the metal being cut out fro m the body or core I in such manner that at the corners the core term-inates at the lower edge of the rounded portions 8. At the corners, this rounded portion is bent vertically and downwardly, and at the corner or corners, the part 8 also has a horizontal curvature, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The blanks from which the cores or bodies are made may consequently have the corner portions thereof cut approximately as shown in Fig. 6, in which the edge i I will form the bottom edge of the portion Eat the corner. This portion of the blank will be bent or formed downwardly through materially less than degrees but the edge portions l2 will be bent further so that they extend downwardly into planes approximately 90 degrees from the fiat top surface of the core. The outer edges of the blank parts [2 will then be bent inwardly or under the downwardly curved portions of the sides to form the flanges l0.

As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, by means of the construction described, the core or body portionof the top ,can readily be formed in dies without necessitating the usual sector-shaped cuts in the rounded corner parts 3, and the subsequent welding of the metal at these cuts, this being due largely because rounded portions do not extend downwardly through a complete quarter circle. At the straight portions of the edge at opposite s'idesof the corners, the metal of the core or body can readily be bent downwardly to form the parts 9 and inwardly to form the flanges ill.

l3 represents the covering sheet for the top which may be made of any suitable or desired non metallic material, such for example as linoleum or any other of the various flexible plastic sheet materials. The covering sheet may be suitably cemented to the core or body portion .in any usual or suitable manner, and the edgesz..thereof terminate'approximately at the lower ends of the curved portions 8 at the corners and sides of the-top. Covering materials are readily available which are sufiiciently flexible so thatthey can readily be bent over the sides of the top and can also be bent downwardly over thecurved corner portionst in such a manner that they will conform to the corner portion of 4 \J the top without requiring slitting or removing of sector-like portions of the covering material at the corners. This bending or forming of the sheet material around the corners is also facilitated by the fact that the downwardly curved part 8 is curved downwardly through less than a quarter circle.

It is necessary with tops of this type to provide suitable means for protecting the edge portions of the covering material against damage and to prevent separation of the edge portions from the core or body of the top, and in the construction shown for this purpose, there is provided a binding strip i5 of any suitable relatively rigid material. This binding strip which extends completely around the edge portions of the top comprises a lower substantially vertical part l6 provided at the lower edge thereof with a slight inwardly extending lip or flange I! which engages the inwardly extending flange ID of the core or body at the junction thereof with the vertically extending part 9. This lip l1, consequently, limits the upward movement of the binding strip relatively to the core I. The binding strip is provided at the upper portion thereof with an outwardly extending offset portion [8 terminating at its outer end in an upwardly extending flange 20. The outwardly extending'portion I8 is slightly below the lower edge of the covering material 13 and the flange 20 engages and overlaps the lower portion of the outer surface of the covering material to grip the same and press the same against the curved portion 8 of the core and also to protect the edge portions thereof against damage by contacts with other articles.

In order to hold the binding strip in its operative relation to the top, a fascia band is provided which also extends around the edge portion of the top and which grips the binding strip below the offset or outwardly extending portion l8 thereof, which is so secured to the core of the top as to press the binding strip into engagement with the lower edge of the covering material l3. In the construction shown for this purpose, the fascia band includes an upwardly extending part or flange 22 which is formed to engage the binding strip l5 below the offset portion 18 thereof. The fascia strip is also provided with an inwardly extending flange 24 which extends along the lower flange ID of the core and which may be secured to the flange ID in any suitable fastening means, such for example, as upwardly extending lips 25 formed integral with the flange 24 and which are passed through slots or openings 26 in the lower flange IU of the core and then bent over as shown in Fig. 5, toward the downwardly extending parts 9 of the core. This bending of the lips 26 results in drawing the fascia band toward the binding strips l5, thus causing the strip to grip the lower edge portions of the covering material;

The inner edge portion of the flange 24 is preferably rounded or provided with an upwardly extending edge portion 21 which extends beyond the inner end of the flange l0 and which forms a rounded edge to prevent injury to users of the desk or table. It will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the horizontally extending flange 24 of the fascia band is also cut out at the corner portions so that the band may be readily bent around the corner portions of the top. It will be noted that the horizontally extending portions of the binding strip, such as the parts I1 and I8, extend horizontally only to a very slight extent so that they do not interfere with the bending of the binding strip around the corners of the top.

The fascia band is so formed that by bending over the fastening members or lips 25, the upwardly extending flange 22 thereof will press the binding strip upwardly to the extent permitted by the inwardly extending flange I1 and will also press the binding strip inwardly toward the core or body 8 so that the upper flange 20 thereof will be firmly pressed into engagement with the lower edge of the covering material I3. By means of this construction, the lower edge of the covering material will not only be protected against damage, but will also be held in place on the core by means of the gripping action of the binding strip.

The construction described lends itself readily to providing an attractive appearance of the edge portion of the top, since the upwardly extending flange 20 of the binding strip may be provided with a finish contrasting with the color or finish of the covering material I3. For example, the binding strip may be made of a polished or plated metal, such as aluminum, which provides a continuous band extending about the edge portion of the top. The upwardly extending flange 22 of the fascia band may be finished to either correspond to or harmonize with the color of the covering material I3.

The construction is very desirable, in that it provides around the edge of the desk or table, and particularly at the corners, a continuous and unbroken rounded portion of the covering mate rial. This construction also facilitates the manufacture of tops of this type, since the construction described makes it unnecessary for the edge portions of the covering material to be bent through approximately degrees, which heretofore provided difficulties at the corners, so that the cutting of sector-like pieces out of corner portions of the covering material had heretofore been necessary. In the construction shown, the covering material is bent downwardly to a sufficient extent so that the binding strip will not interfere in any manner with the use of the table or desk top.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

l. A covered'top for a desk, table and the like, comprising a core having vertically rounded downwardly extending edges disposed at an angle to each other and joined by a vertically and horizontally rounded corner, a single piece sheet of covering material covering the top surface of said core and having edge portions thereof extending downwardly over said rounded edges and having the corner portions formed about the corner of said core, a binding strip extending about said edges and corners of said core and having the upper portion thereof overlapping said covering material, a fascia band extending about the lower portions of the edges of said core and having a part extending upwardly and overlapping the lower portion of said binding strip, and means for securing said fascia strip to said core, said fascia strip pressing said binding strip against the edge and corner portions of said covering material against said downwardly extending edges of said core.

2. A covered top for a desk, table and the like, comprising a sheet metal core having vertically rounded and downwardly extending edges disposed at {an angle to each other and joined bya vertically and horizontally rounded corner, the lower ends of said rounded edges being flanged inwardly under the curved portions of said rounded edges, a sheet of covering material covering the top surface of said core and extendin downwardly over said rounded edges of the sides and corner and terminating in spaced relation to the lower endsof said edges, a binding strip of relatively rigid material extending about the lower portions of said downwardly extending edges of said core and below the lower edges of said covering material and having a portion extending outwardly and upwardly into engagement with the lower edge portions of said covering material, a fascia band extending about the lower portions of said edges of said core and having an upwardly extending flange gripping the lower portion of said binding strip, and a substantially horizontally extending portion extending along said flanged edges of said core, and means for securing said horizontally extending portion to said flange, said fascia band holding said binding strip in gripping engagementwith the lower edges of said covering material.

3. A covered top for a desk, table and the like, comprising a core having substantially straight edges disposed at an angle to each other and joined by a rounded corner, said core at the edge portions and at said corner being curved downwardly through an arc of materially less than 90 degrees, and said corner portion terminating at said downward curvature, said core at said straight edges continuing downwardly with the lower portions thereof substantially perpendicular to the unbent surface of said top, a sheet of flexible covering material covering the top surface of said core and having its edge portions curved downwardly over said downwardly curved portions of said core and terminating at said downwardly continuing parts of said straight edges, a binding strip of relatively rigid material extending about and in contact with said downwardly continuing portions of said straight edges of said core and bent about said corner, said strip having an upper edge portion overlapping the lower edges of said covering material, and a fascia band extending about the lower edge of said core and having a part overlapping the lower portion of said binding strip and pressing the same into gripping engagement with said edges of said covering material, and means for securing said fascia band to said core.

4. A covered top according to claim 3, in which said binding strip has an inwardly extending lip which engages the lower edge of said substantially perpendicular portions of said core to limit upward movement of said binding strip.

5. A covered top according to claim 3 in which said substantially perpendicular portions of said core terminate at their lower edges in inwardly extending flanges and in which said fascia band includes a substantially horizontal flange at said straight edges only of said top and which is secured to said inwardly extending flanges of said core.

6. A covered top according to claim 3, in which said binding strip has an inwardly extending lip which engages the lower edge of said substantially perpendicular portions of said core to limit upward movement of said binding strip, and an outwardly offset portion which grips the lower edge of said covering material and against which said fascia strip abuts.

7. A covered top according to claim 3,- in whichsaid binding strip has an inwardly extendinglip which engages the lower edge of said substantially perpendicular portions of said core to limit upward movement of said binding strip, and an outwardly offset portion which grips the lower edge of saidcovering material and "against which said fascia strip abutasaid perpendicular portions of said core terminating at their lower edgesein inwardly extending flanges, said fascia band including a substantially horizontal flange at the straight edges only of said top and which is secured to said inwardly extending flanges of said core, the upper edge of said fascia band abutting against the lower edge of said offset portion of said binding strip.

8. A covered top for a desk, table and the like, comprising a sheet metal core having vertically rounded and downwardly extending edges disposed at an angle to each other and joined by a vertically and horizontally rounded corner, the lower ends of said rounded edges being flanged inwardly under the curved portions of said rounded edges, a sheet of covering material covering the top surface of said core and extending downwardly over said rounded edges of the sides and corner and terminating in spaced relation to the lower ends of said edges, a binding strip of relatively rigid material extending about the lower portions of said downwardly extending edges of said core and below the lower edges of said covering material and having a portion extending outwardly and upwardly into engagement with the lower edge portions of said covering material, a fascia band extending about the lower portions of said edges of said core and having an upwardly extending flange gripping the lower portion of said binding strip, and a substantially horizontally extending portion extending along said flange edges of said core, said fascia band having integral upwardly extending lips which are bent over against the upper faces of said flanged edges for securing said fascia band to said core in position to urge said binding strip into gripping engagement with the lower edges of said covering material.

9. A covered top for a desk, table and the like, comprising a sheet metal core having vertically rounded and downwardly extending edges disposed at an angle to each other and joined by a vertically and horizontally rounded corner, the lower ends of said rounded edges being flanged inwardly under the curved portions of said rounded edges, a sheet of covering material covering the top surface of said core and extending downwardly over said rounded edges of the sides and corner and terminating in spaced relation to the lower ends of said edges, a binding strip of relatively rigid material extending about the lower portions of said downwardly extending edges of said core and below the lower edges of said covering material and having a portion extending outwardly and upwardly into engagement with the lower edge portions of said covering' material, a fascia band extending about the lower portions of said edges of said core and having an upwardly extending flange gripping the lower portion of said binding strip, and a substantially horizontally extending portion extending along said flanged edges of said core, said inwardly flanged edges of said core being provided at intervals with apertures, said substantially horizontally extending portion of said fascia band having integral lips extending upwardly through said apertures and being bent 7 8,, over the upper surface of said flanged edges for UNITED STATES PATENTS securing said fascia band to said core in posi- Number Name Date tion to urge said binding strip into gripping en- 1,690,286 Fitch et a1. 6, 1928 gagement with the lower edges of said covering 1,705,152 Card Man 12, 9 material- 6 1,705,156 Larson Mar. 12, 1929 JAMES JONES- 5 1,770,293 Bergmann July 9, 1930 FLOYD BLOOMSTRANI 1,910,579 Schmitz June 16, 1931 1,815,167 Soper July 21, 1931 REFERENCES CITED 1,935,911 Fitch Dec. 15, 1931 The following references are of record in the 2,186,530 Jones Jan. 9, 1940 file of this patent: 

